We are so lucky to have a diverse group of Cruisemates...from all around the country, and from wonderful places, worldwide. I would love for you, to tell us a bit about your corner of your world..C'mon lurkers..please share. Annie, John, Jacqueline, Liam and our int'l CM'ers, we would love to hear all about it.

If I knocked on your door, for a chat, and, a cuppa tea, what would you share, about your area...Big city, small town? Famous, infamous? Best food to try? Tourist spot? Well know for____? Best souvenir to bring back to my home. Just why you love it

My corner of the world is a little place in Central Texas. It is a population of around 32,000, but every year, it goes down by 20,000, and they rises again.

It is full of wonderful people who are very tired, but who love this country.
If you were here Trip, I would take you around and show you what makes this place work. I wouldn't to show you the small fake towns where the people here, learn what it is like to be in a different country, because you would see them from the air when you flew in.

What would you take back with you? The knowledge that while you sleep, the people in my town, have your back.....

Our community is known as the "Gateway to Yosemite." Next week, a friend is coming to spend a couple of days before we leave on our cruise, and we will proudly show off Yosemite to her, if it is not snowed in!!

We are in the middle of the Great Central Valley, one of the world's major agricultural areas. This time of year is when the local newspaper publishes maps of the "Blossom Trail" and we can drive through rural areas filled with blossoms of almonds, peaches, apricots, plums and many other crops, and in between see the pastures covered with beautiful wildflowers from meadow foam to California poppies.

My little corner of the world is pretty big: Southern California, perhaps better known, at least for today, as home of the Oscars.

I live about an hour from Los Angeles in a town which was once nothing but citrus groves. If you were here, you would see old houses that were once ranch houses. It's suburbia, plain and simple, and full of people who commute to Los Angeles to work, as I did. I like to say that we're an hour away from everything we like to do, including the cruise port of Los Angeles/San Pedro, and we're on the way to Palm Springs. But traffic being what it is, an hour and a half would be more accurate.

My part of the world is in south-eastern NY .The population is 25,000 .There are no movie theaters ,no bowling alleys but aside from that its a wonderful place to live .We are surrounded by water on 3 sides ;10 minutes from a beautiful beach ;wall to wall restaurants ,every cuisine imaginable .There is a tremendous amount of shopping ,small stores and department stores .Best of all is that in the 8 + years I've been living here there has been no violent crime . Occasionally there is a report of shoplifting or a DUI but thats it .From April to September its paradise .

My wife and I live in Newport Oregon. It is a small coastal town of abou12 thousand people It is pretty much a tourist town which can be frustrating at times.There is also alot of commercial fishing here also (crab ,shrimp, tuna ,salmon,Halibut) the timber industry is big around here also so is unemploymemt! Some of the attractions around here of course the beach and the bayfront is pretty popular with the tourist.There is also a couple of light house and one is even suppose to be haunted!! Alot of sportfishing also>It rains aliite bit last year we ahd 70 plus inchs of rain The other night it was 19 degress with snow on the ground Not that common for around here I have seen the wind blow over 100 mph here But the big one was back in 1963 ( I was only 3 then) Broke the wind gauges at 140mph Its a nice place you can go crabbingand fishing down in the bay and end up with nice supper. It was an exceelent place to raise 2 girls (both on their ow now) I think after you visited Newport you would go away with the experence of visting a nice little coastal town. Oh by the way 27 days until 14 day cruise to Hawaii with a balcony First cruise My wife and I was talking about the cruise today and started dancing (or at least trying to) ballroom style I sure hope there are dance lesson on the ship!!

Manuel...you live in such a pretty place, my daughter lived in Yantic for a while...the famous rock walls, & Mystic, we so enjoyed our toime there...great B& B's,and that famopus hamburger place where they steam them..I have seen it on tv many times. I bet you can add a lot more...Where did you live prior to C?

My baubles are in Wellesley..not far from the College,and down the Cape..I archive them on Facebook.

My little corner of the world in the Canadian Maritimes, and I have not seen all of it myself yet, as I've only been here just over a year.
What I do know is that the scenery is beautiful no matter where you go, and the sea is never far away. There is very little traffic, and driving is a pleasure, not a stress.
In the nearby little town of Pictou N.S. it is a magnet for tourists in the summertime. There is the Ship Hector on the waterfront, a replica of the ship that brought over the first Scottish settlers in 1773. There are beautiful sea views, waterfront restaurants and cafes, gift shops, fantastic local musical talent, and best of all, the wonderful warm, welcoming Maritime hospitality!
Come on up and see us sometime!

Manuel...you live in such a pretty place,...Where did you live prior to C?

.

Prior to Connecticut, I lived in Portugal.

I would say that Ct. shines in the fall, when we have our foliage and great fresh fruit is in season such as aplles and peras. I love to visit Essex, Ct. where they have a vintage steamtrain, and you can connect with a river boat and see the beautiful scenery along the Connecticut River.

I would say that Ct. shines in the fall, when we have our foliage and great fresh fruit is in season such as aplles and peras. I love to visit Essex, Ct. where they have a vintage steamtrain, and you can connect with a river boat and see the beautiful scenery along the Connecticut River.

Ct. also has two of the largest casinos in the world.

TM

I too love to visit Essex ,Ct. In fact if I can find it my new avatar will be of me standing next to the vintage train .

I have not been to the CT.casinos in about 3 years but when we go ,we leave home around 9AM and go to both +Mystic .Its a 3 hour drive to the closest of the 2 casinos.

It's obvious where I live and most of you know the details but for those who don't:

Greeneville is listed as one of the top 100 small towns in the US in which to live. The town itself has a population of 16,000, the total county population is around 60,000 and Greene County is one of if not the largest of 96 counties in the state. I live about seven miles out near the foot of the mountains. The views can be breathtaking, especially in the Spring and Fall. This is the Bible Belt and most people live their religion. They are the most giving, sincere folks you could ever meet and even if they have nothing, if you were in need they'd provide something. As an Episcopalian I'm considered something akin to a heathen (not really). The Church I attend was consecretated in the 1850's and the Presbyterian Church across the street still has a cannonball up in the brick fired during the Civil War during which the town changed hands several times. It is close to the big Sevierville (pronounce "Severe`ville as opposed to "Seaverville" which radio and TV announcers on networks call it), Pigeon Forge (Dollywood and a zillion other attractions and outlet malls), Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mtns. National Park.

The area has a temperate climate without too many extremes, although that does occasionally occur.

The town/county is:

1. The birthplace of David Crockett (He was never known as "Davey" and never wore a coonskin cap to any historian's knowledge). He, again as opposed to the "Ballad of Davey Crockett" was not born on a mountain top but rather along the bank of the Nolichuckey River about twenty miles upstream from where I live (about four hundred feet from the river but I'm up so high it would never even get to the top of its own high banks).

2. President Andrew Johnson (who succeeded Lincoln and was the one time Mayor) is buried here in The Andrew Johnson National Cemetery) known here as "Monument Hill" where Fran is also buried and where they kindly informed me "You have a reserved spot." The best part is, that the cemetery, being a National Cemetery is maintained by the National Park Service as opposed to the Veteran's Administration. It is beautiful. Everything having to do with the actual burial including the headstone (the same at all Veteran's Cemeteries) is provided at no charge. Interesting bit of trivia for those who aren't familiar with Veteran's Cemeteries. If the veteran dies first, the engraving is what you see. When the spouse dies, she is buried in the same grave atop her husband (again at no charge for interment). People have often asked me, "How come the wife isn't also on the headstone?" I reply, She is, walk around and look at the back. Fran's headstone is now in place and facing the front. When I die, I'm of the understanding that it will be turned around and the front will be inscribed for me.

3. The famous Confederate Raider General John Hunt Morgan was killed by Union Troops out of Knoxville under the command of General Gillem out of Knoxville (70 miles away) in what is now the Episcopal Church parking lot. He is considered by many Civil War historians to be the most colorful Cavalry Raider of the war - certainly the most popular by the Confederacy.

4. Although almost every state has a "Greenville" (most named after Nathaniel Greene as is this town), this town is the only one in the country that kept the middle "e" and it's often capitalized "GreenEville." It has the best small town history museum I've ever seen and I've seen many.

5. It is the smallest town in the US (probably the world) to have a naval war vessel named after it, the USS GREENEVILLE, SSN 772, a nuclear attack submarine. Since it's commissioning in the 80's, hundreds of its crews have visited this town. While here, their money is, for all practicable purposes, rarely excepted and they are provided free lodging in private (usually upscale) homes and fete'd by businesses and individual citizens alike. They are treated as the heroes they are and of all attack submarines (almost all named after cities such as the Dallas, the Atlanta, etc.) no crew has ever demonstrated the commitment to their namesake as the crews of the Greeneville do. A two man crew from a Johnson City TV station was provided a two day shakedown cruise (the vessel is home ported at Pearl Harbor) and were provided the freedomr to take more video of the inside of a nuclear submarine than has ever been previously allowed. I have a copy of the CD.

As you can understandably recognize, I would never live anywhere else. In fact people fall in love with this town so quickly that those on vacation from other parts of the country often (and I mean often) while just driving through or visiting the sites, never go any farther and shortly thereafter, move here. Finally, one rather compelling reason are the taxes. While we have excellent schools, my property taxes (including school) for a brick ranch on a realtor's acre (200' on a side) are around $635.00............a year!

Hi everyone to out village - just 6 miles from Southampton the home of the Spitfire, although it is more often associated with the Titanic, QE2, other Cunard liners, and, "home" to many other cruiselines sailing all over the globe. Beyond the docks we have the Isle of Wight, with it's famous yacht races from Cowes, well known dinosaur fossil beds, and chalk stacks - The Needles, above which Marconi set up one of the, if not the, first Radio Station.

To the East of Southampton we have Portsmouth, with all it's Naval History, Lord Nelson, Victory, the Mary Rose.

6 miles to the North we have the ancient capital of the Kingdom of England - Winchester, with King Alfred, the Round Table etc. whilst only an hour away by train brings into the centre of London. Both these cities being rich in their own history.

We are surrounded by the New Forest National Park, established by William I around 1700, and still one of the largest Forests in the UK. And beyond that we have Salisbury & Stonehenge to the North, and some of the loveliest beaches to the South.

In our small village it is not uncommon to open the curtains of a morning & find horses be led or ridden past the front of the houses - which came as quite a shock the first couple of times.
Our village is also blessed with an award winning Indian Restaurant, the presence of which goes a long way to explain my weight Or it could be the selection of traditional British Pubs, many within staggering distance.

On a literary basis, Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy lived in and set many of their novels in the region.

As for souvenirs, well nothing on our doorstep springs to mind, but with so many historic and tourist locations surrounding us, I suggest you bring a spare suitcase to carry them all home.

Why do we love it here? - well, why wouldn't we with all this under an hour away.
Alan & Katrina

My little corner of the world is in the great city of Chicago. I’m on the very furthers NW edge of the city as we can be due to D/H working for the city. It’s filled with police officers and firemen and a great neighborhood to raise a family. Twenty minutes from downtown and a beautiful lakefront, museums, theaters & restaurants.

When we lived in New York, Fran and I quite a few times would go to Niagara Falls, Canada. One time, around 72 or 73, we drove to Toronto and were absolutely enchanted with the city (cleanest I'd ever seen) and we just loved Ontario Place where there was (as I'm sure there still is today) the most marvelous often "hands on" museum. I believe a Tribal Class destroyer provided to the Royal Canadian Navy (the largest class of WWII British Destroyers) is still berthed there as a museum piece.

Fran and I once took a whirlwind drive (four days) to Bar Harbor Maine, then down to Plymouth (yes we saw the "rock") and out to the end of Cape Cod. Strangely, one of the cities I've always wanted to visit was Boston which I was in for only two hours when I helped a friend deliver a sofa shortly after moving to Brooklyn. Also loved Mystic and that area. I'll always remember talking to a Hyannis cop who said that the children of the Kennedy clan (I don't mean John F's children because they were of course, always well behaved and by that time were gone) were "untouchable" and the guys in their Department were furious as one or another was constantly in trouble (DWI's, drunk and disorderly, etc.) yet woe be to the officer who ever arrested one (which was meaningless anyway).

Alan and Katrina, my older brother married a girl from the Isle of Man and when my adored niece Deanna, who was then two (she will be forty her next birthday) and her younger sister an infant (the third was born on the island), they moved to the island where the children were raised. I and my late twin never made it over but my older sister did and of course my Mother went several times. DeAnna came over here as a teen ager (her parents moved back about five years ago and live near her) but still has a strong British accent and people give her a funny look when I tell them she was born in Knoxville TN. One of my life's dreams is to visit England and the Island, specifically the Museum of Military History in London along with a tour of the WWII cruiser USS Belfast (there is an outstanding virtual tour on the Internet) and also the Southampton/Portsmouth area because of it's historical connection to both the Battle of Britain as well as the full span of British naval history (i.e. the Supermarine Spitfire, the Mary Rose, Lord Nelson, etc.). I doubt that I'll ever be able to make it but I can still dream. At least the middle niece and her husband and infant live in what I understand is a very nice section of London and I wouldn't have to get a hotel there or on the Island as the youngest niece still lives there so who knows?

Weather is cold and lots of snow in winter, but summers are glorious, low humidity, warm beaches galore and it stays light until 10:00 p.m. We should actually be in the Central Time Zone but we'll take it!

Best restaurant, of course, is the one I manage - Stafford's Pier in Harbor Springs. Check it out at www.staffords.com

I live in Lakeland, Florida. It great place to be. Situated along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando. There is much to do here. Right now spring training is going on and the Detroit Tigers make Lakeland their spring training home. Lakeland has many lakes and many parks for recreation. The parks are pretty and well maintained. I just enjoy taking my lunch to the park and just watch the activity on the lake. Of course we are just a short ride to the Disney Parks in Orlando. Even closer are the many attractions of Tampa. The Florida state fair just finished. This week the Strawberry Festival will be starting. We have the Lakeland Center here which features wonderful performers. Elton John and Leon Russell were just here in November. The Trans Siberian Orchestra will be here in April. Of course I am near to the "Central Florida Cruisers" and try to make it to the dinners when I can.

Originally I come from New England and love it there. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, not far from Trip. I spent most of my adult life in NH's Beautiful Lakes Region. Massachusetts will always be "home" to me. Lakeland is where I choose to be at this time of my life. I love it here. Come on down!

Laura

__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
---Mark Twain

I live in the very small rural town of Minford, Ohio. We have 2 four way stops so traffic is never a problem. Our town consists of 3 gas stations, 2 convienient stores, one grocery store, a dairy bar,a pharmacy and 2 pizza shops. We were blessed with a Family Dollar about 2 yrs ago. It is the busiest place in town! You would feel safe coming to our area as everyone pretty much knows each other by name. We all look out for each other and if someone is in need the community jumps into action.
We are about 20 miles from what we call the city, where there is a WalMart, a Kmart, & a Lowes, for all our shopping needs. If we need to do any real shopping it is at least an hours drive to get to a JC Penney, or some such store. This city is located right on the Ohio River and our floodwall is famous. It has some of the most beautiful murals painted on it that I have ever seen. The murals depict the city from the beginning to the present along with many showing special events and people from our area.
If you came to my town to visit I would take you out for ice cream. You would see some beautiful scenery as we have rolling hills and beautiful farmland. Farming is big around here as there are no longer any big companies around. We had a steel mill, 2 shoe factories, and the atomic energy plant which were our big employers. They are either gone or cut way back on employees now. The biggest employer around is in the city where it is the hospital and the local college. If you want a visit a slow paced area then come visit, I'll show you around. It would only take an hour or so to see most all of my little town.

Well Todd if you do ever get over here, let us know & we'd be only too pleased to help out & show you around.

Aerogirl, I used to work in Chicago, well Des Plaines, and loved the city. My work cube is decorated with photographs of the city.
I have a God Daughter who used to live in Schaumburg, but the family have moved a few miles further away to St. Charles
Happy Days

My little corner of the world is the small town of Palmer, Ma also known as the town of seven railroads, we are in the western part of the state, close by is Old Sturbridge Village, a living, working colonial community. Quabbin Reservoir is a short ride, bald eagles live there, great place for a summer picnic, or a fall hike when the foliage is totally gorgeous, we are also about an hours drive from the Berkshire Mountains with some great skiing, The Yankee Candle flagship store is a short distance, as is the artistic communities of Amherst and Northampton oh and about an hours drive west up the pike from you Trip!

We live about mid way between Toledo and Dayton. We are in a rural area, but have neighbors on both sides of us. Our near-by town has a population of about 800. We do our main shopping in towns about 20 miles from us in all directions.

Our local town is heavy populated with Catholics. Our church is one of very few double-spire churches around. The town is small - hardware/furniture store, grocery store, insurance agencies, a few restaurants/bars and a couple gas stations. Farming is the main industry around and the land is very flat!

My husband was born and raised here. I grew up about 30 miles north of where we now live.

Weather is cold and lots of snow in winter, but summers are glorious, low humidity, warm beaches galore and it stays light until 10:00 p.m. We should actually be in the Central Time Zone but we'll take it!

Best restaurant, of course, is the one I manage - Stafford's Pier in Harbor Springs. Check it out at www.staffords.com

I have been to Petoskey and will never forget it. Back in 1980, we went to visit my late aunt who lived in Midland. She had a small cottage on a lake in Petoskey and we spent several days there. I remember the gas lights in the town and the quaint shops. Took a day trip to Mackinac Island. Toured the fort and then had a drink on the veranda at the Grand Hotel. I remember their being fudge shops everywhere. While we were on the road, we noticed a sign for "washed cherries". I asked my aunt what that was all about, and she said just to stop and buy some and eat them as they have been cleaned. To this day, I remember how good they were. We were there during the first week of August. On the return drive back to Midland, we stopped at Bronner's in Frankenmuth and really enjoyed that place too. Although it was long ago, I remember that trip as if it were yesterday.

Originally I come from New England and love it there. I was born and raised in Massachusetts, not far from Trip. I spent most of my adult life in NH's Beautiful Lakes Region. Massachusetts will always be "home" to me. Lakeland is where I choose to be at this time of my life. I love it here. Come on down!

Laura

Laura, I will eventually follow in your footsteps. I also love New England and have lived in Connecticut for many years.Now that I am retired, we are planning a move to Florida in the near future.The winters in the Northeast are are getting a bit too long for us.

Laura, I will eventually follow in your footsteps. I also love New England and have lived in Connecticut for many years.Now that I am retired, we are planning a move to Florida in the near future.The winters in the Northeast are are getting a bit too long for us.

TM

How nice. Where in Florida are you planning to move to? Central Florida is great with so much so close by. I hope you are planning to come have dinners with Central Florida Cruisers. We are always ready to welcome more Cruise Mates.
For many years in NH I said I was moving to Florida some day. No one ever believed it. They were absolutely shocked when I set out on the road all alone and drove here.

Laura

__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“
---Mark Twain

Laura, we are planning to move to Northern Fl,. We have been checking out Palm Coast and I even Joined a club there. We will be driving all over Fl. and would love to attend any event with other cruisemates.We were in Fl. five times last year, and will be driving there for the second time this year so we can hook up with the Celebrity Equinox.

We live not far from Newport, RI , a big sailing center. It's freezing right now, but our spring, summer and fall is glorious. We're big boaters, that's our hobby, so when your cruise ship is in Newport, and you see me waving at you from my Albin, that's me!
It's so much fun to see the cruisers come in. We spend a fair amount of time on the water, and Block Island is one of our favorite haunts.
If you came to visit me, I would take you to meet my fishmonger for some great lobsters and so forth.
Our house looks at the water, too, and you would see some fantastic stormy waves in the winter. I like to walk during all seasons, no matter how cold, for the beauty of it all. Plus, I have a scottie. You know how that goes!